Barefoot running for HS runners?

they don't wanna run none

unless they got shoes, hun.

It is fine to jog a lap around the soccer field and do a few strides, but make sure your runners do not have any metatarsal pain/discomfort. This can develop into a serious injury.

Let me get this, your talking HS kids, children? NEW NEW NEW training methods? Preventing stagnation you say. Where did you come from? Your one of these coaches that have a secret foot fetish right? Look you freak of nature, your job FIRST is to protect these kids and ensure their safety and well being entrusted to you by adults and parents. You need to give them a healthy team experience, time management, planning for academic study. They need to learn the importance of priority, eating healthy, sleeping, rest and recovery. They can learn aerobic /anaerobic runs that are real. Tempo, easy long run pace, hard, interval, breakdowns etc. If you don't know how to bring them on and improve, plenty of videos from USA best coaches online. No you go to your wacko mind of insanity and come up with, let me think, change, because you believe yourself to be brilliant. Go ahead hurt these kids. Give up the job, quit, and let a coach get in there.

In high school my coach would let our top distance guys do our cool down barefoot on the infield. We would usually end up doing some barefoot strides as well. We all really enjoyed it, was a fun way to end a practice. Never did more than 10-15 minutes barefoot.

Oh please. Get off your high horse.

I run on super flat shoes all the time and have been doing so for years. It might not be everybodies cup of tea, but a proper running form is good for everybody. Young, old, light or heavy. If anything it's YOUNG people who can most easily adapt to new things.

It's fun, it's good and it's harmless when done with some common sense.

anacondarunner wrote:

In an effort to implement some new training methods this outdoor track season with my distance runners (so as to prevent general stagnation), I've been toying with the idea of having my more advanced runners try some barefoot running -- at first it would probably be for 5 minutes at a time during post-workout or post-race cooldowns on FieldTurf, perhaps with some strides at the end. I've done a lot of reading and have come to the conclusion that barefoot running can build foot/ankle strength and help promote good running economy. Does anyone have any experience with barefoot running, and if so, has your experience been positive? Thanks!

I think you can safely ignore the alarmist cries if you avoid a few basic mistakes. What comes to mind is:

* no barefoot running on abrasive surfaces like asphalt (it takes only a few kilometres for blisters to appear and burst. I know: unfortunately, I tried);

* no barefoot running on hard surfaces, like asphalt, again (it might be possible to progressively strengthen your bones, but I am not sure. On the other hand, you can definitely get a metatarsal stress fracture in thin-soled shoes (think: 2-3 mm), but at least there are signs (feeling the shoelaces are too tight at the front of the foot, no matter how much you loosen them)).

If your plan is to have people run on grass for 15 minutes a day, I'd be surprised if serious injuries occur. Just make sure to tell them to back off if their calves/Achilles get painful. Also, I would not expect the runner's experience to make much of a difference (if only: more experience, less capacity to adapt, *maybe*). How much they heel-strike may matter much more.

Now, will it benefit them? I don't know.

It may take more than a few minutes each day to actually change the way they run.

Also, switching entirely to zero drop shoes (or barefoot running, I guess) will definitely change something in the calves. But as much as I like running in zero drop shoes, I wouldn't guarantee it will bring performance improvements. From my experience, it didn't change my race times. I think it just made me faster when going downhill. But then, you have to climb that up again on most courses, so...

About injuries in the long run: I got two issues with my Achilles (but in retrospect, if I had been more cautious when pain appeared instead of deciding to go ahead and run races...), one likely metatarsal stress fracture (totally avoidable, if only I had known what the initial symptoms meant). After that, nothing serious for almost two years, while I increased my mileage like never before (with for instance, 8 weeks at between 135-150 km per week).

So, just like running does not ruin your knees, barefoot/zero drop running is not dangerous. Switching running style is, but can be done with care. And if ever it does not bring substantial performance improvement, at least it's different and definitely fun.

my son - who is now a college freshman - had regular barefoot sessions in HS as part of the training - starting as a sophomore. yes it was only for the advanced runners and I do not know how far down the pecking order the barefoot training went. the training was done on the grass fields around the HS.

in HS a long time ago - my friend ran barefoot all the time - he ran 9:04 ..... 2 MILE. Translated - ??

Some crazy coach from Grand Blanc, Michigan introduced me to barefoot running as part of our post workout cool downs 10 years ago. I built up to 2 miles on soft surfaces.

In turn I have recommended it to my runners (high school and adult) over the last few years and have seen zero issues.

well buddy, I hope you aren't this much of an a**hole anymore with your replies... it's been 6 years so I think that's enough time to mature a bit. What is so wrong about this coach wanting to implement barefoot running? Just because he/she wants to add this doesn't mean they don't already do all of the things you suggested... and ill have you know, my high school coach had me some times do barefoot cool downs after workouts and races and they helped in my opinion and relieved muscle tension (I ran a 15:12 5k my senior year so I would like to think I have a decent say in how to train during high school).

well buddy, I hope you aren't this much of an a**hole anymore with your replies... it's been 6 years so I think that's enough time to mature a bit. What is so wrong about this coach wanting to implement barefoot running? Just because he/she wants to add this doesn't mean they don't already do all of the things you suggested... and ill have you know, my high school coach had me some times do barefoot cool downs after workouts and races and they helped in my opinion and relieved muscle tension (I ran a 15:12 5k my senior year so I would like to think I have a decent say in how to train during high school).

first off, i'm not the op lol; i doubt he or she will respond and same with Civiattorney

second off, with your cool downs for barefoot, did you do those on grass or turf surfaces and also how long in terms of mileage or time were they? thanks.

Barefoot running would be perfect to make them feel proper foot action. Barefoot at a fairly soft surface it is fairly impossible to heel strike or over-stride, so it is a good idea to have it as a way of improving or maintaining good form. I run minimalist when I can and absolutely zero drop cause cusioned shoes with drop interact too much with my running form.

Running on uneven surfaces would be another way of building good foot stability. You should prep them with some strength training, mostly to activate the ankles. I have been running since childhood in the terrain and had good success with doing different ankle strengthening exercises (sideways, inside/outside, calf raises). Uneven surfaces on easy running would strengthen the foot. Progress easy into it, but they are still young and resilient.

Was toying w that idea--barefoot workouts--for a while. (There were a few guys in local road races killiing it like that) but the idea died on the vibe when a couple parents heard about it and raised cane about safety issues.

Parent#3: "You gonna police the area with fine-tooth comb every day, coach?"

No I wasn't and no we didn't.

I ran barefoot strides after every workout in high school. Running barefoot on grass builds up tendons and ligaments that atrophy in shoes. Plus 100m strides expose you to changing gears with very little injury risk. Probably not after intervals but other days a good addition. I would build 25 percent effort at 25 yards, 50 percent effort at 50 yards, flat out at 80 yards then slow and turn immediately without stopping x 10

If you've got a smooth well-tended athletic field, it can be a great addition.

We had great fields, and lots of them, so we would stretch and do warmups, form drills and strides before putting shoes on. You have to be careful because it can stress the calves (gastroc/soleus/achilles), but it's great for developing strength and leg speed if you don't overdo it.

Not available in many areas, I realize.

Not the guy you were asking, but I did a lot of barefoot running in high school to improve my form. I had years of bad shin splints and I found that as soon as I ran barefoot, the pain went away. I did a lot of barefoot cooldowns on grass, turf and sidewalks. Even if I had shin splints, I could still take off my shoes and run a mile cooldown on a sidewalk and feel great/painless.

I normally did 2-3 barefoot runs a week (once I built up to it). We'd normally do 2 track workouts/week and I'd do those barefoot after 1-2 reps. I'd also do one of my easy days barefoot and I had a nice 5 mile route that was sidewalk for 90% of it with grass on the side if I started to blister. Socks are really helpful for giving your feet some cushion, you'll start to get a lot of holes in them. I was building up to doing all of my mileage barefoot, but I kinda plateaued around 4 times a week max because a lot of routes I liked weren't good for barefoot running.

If you're thinking about doing some barefoot running, I think doing strides/maybe .5-1 mile cooldown to begin with, and up it from there to make sure you don't get hurt. You'll really feel it in your calves the next day, but eventually you get used to it.

I did a workout barefoot on the grass because my trainers were so bogged down and sloppy. I liked it and think it encourages good mechanics

I wouldn't run barefoot anywhere. Too much chance of stepping on broken glass, used syringes with needles, and other things that could harm you.